The Kind of Evil-Chapter 524: Souls.

‎Aristoria held Rasmus’ hands tightly, she didn’t even blink her eyes once for the past few minutes. She looked similar to when Rasmus relived the memory when she was holding him in her arms.

‎Kyros was an orphan and never knew anything about having a parent. He had experienced a lot of things ever since he was brought into this new world. A body that didn’t belong to him but at the same time it was his in the first place. One soul with two different worlds and memories that often contradict each other.

‎"I hope this is a goodbye," Aristoria said with a smile on her face.

‎Rasmus furrowed his brows slightly when he heard what Aristoria had just said. Although, there was something that had been bothering him ever since he met her on the day he awakened his Orthias bloodline.

‎"Which one are you right now?" Rasmus asked before Aristoria could give Aris’ body and consciousness back. "I have seen you a few times in different timelines. I can see the difference in each of those memories. What Aris met in the Void Realm, she wanted the opposite from what you just said earlier. Which one are you right now?"

‎Aristoria didn’t expect Rasmus to understand and even saw it when Aris failed. As a mother, there was pride written in her eyes after Rasmus noticed who she was.

‎"You came when you were still a baby. You saw me when I met Rullein for the last time. You came that night when I bathed you. All of them are me, still the same as the one you’re talking with right now," Aristoria answered, her grip on Rasmus’ hands tightened. "I’m a fragment of myself that I left in this armor and blade. There are many fragments of mine, and they have slightly different opinions because we inherit her current feelings and emotions before she detached parts of her into objects," she explained in detail.

‎Rasmus tried to grasp the concept of Aristoria’s ability to separate her soul into many fragments. Based on what Aristoria said, he concluded that one Aristoria didn’t represent all of herself because they had different views on certain things. The one that Aris met in the Void Realm was the real Aristoria because that Aristoria was the main soul that followed its successor.

‎"I’m still myself with the same emotion and feeling until the day I died because I wore the armor until the end," Aristoria pointed out after she noticed that Rasmus wasn’t convinced with her explanation. "However, beyond that point, I might have changed," she added.

Rasmus narrowed his eyes, not understanding soul splitting at all, but in his case, he might be the same as Aristoria. He lived as Kyros on Earth while at the same time he lived as Rasmus in Neva. The moment the most dominant soul took over the body, the other would be consumed by it.

"The dominant one will devour the fragments," Rasmus muttered with his arms crossed.

"No, we aren’t devoured, we are whole again," Aristoria loosened up her grip on Rasmus’ hands as she shook her head. "You’re also the same, Rasmus. You’re whatever you want to be. You can embrace Rasmus identity as a part of you or you can stay as Kyros. Either way, neither of them will complain because they’re both you," she said as she stared into Rasmus’ eyes.

Rasmus understood what Aristoria was trying to imply with those words she said. She wanted him to understand that no matter what, and for whatever truth of who he was, she would still think of him as her child, her only child.

"But what about you and Aris? She’s different from my case or your case. She’s conscious, she has her own life to live," Rasmus asked, his expression stoic but his words were judging.

"It depends on her, not me, not the other me, or the real me," Aristoria answered as she shook her head. "I can’t take her life and her body unless she willingly gives herself away. Right now, she gave it away for you," she revealed.

Rasmus knew it all too well about choices, and he was a bit disappointed that Aris allowed Aristoria to take over her body even if it was momentarily. He knew it was her choice, but the only trust that he had toward someone was Aris. She betrayed herself and she betrayed his trust, that was what disappointed him.

"Is it really her choice or is it the choice is influenced by me?" Rasmus asked.

Aristoria only responded with a smile, letting the question rang back to Rasmus’ ears.

"I have been here for too long, I should give this body back to Aris," Aristoria said as she let go of Rasmus’ hands and then turned to look at Rullein. "You’re also my child, Rullein," she offered her hands to Rullein.

Rullein approached Aristoria and held her hands when suddenly Aristoria pulled her closer. Rullein was surprised when Aristoria suddenly cupped her cheeks and smiled at her. Although it was Aris’ face, the smile reminded Rullein of Aristoria, the same smile that Aristoria always showed.

"You have grown dangerously stronger. Did you keep your promise?" Aristoria asked with her brows raised.

"I am," Rullein hummed and nodded.

"You need to stay close to Rasmus. Protect him for me?" Aristoria’s smile widened as she chuckled softly.

"I am," Rullein hummed and nodded again.

It was the first time that Rasmus had witnessed Rullein being extremely docile, and it was jarring to see. Compared to him, Aristoria and Rullein seemed to have a deeper bond and looked more like mother and daughter compared to him.

"The two of you... no, the three of you need to stay together no matter what," Aristoria said as she pulled her hands from Rullein’s cheeks, taking a few steps back from Rullein to look at both of them. "I hope that this will be the last time we see each other," she said with a gentle gaze pointed at them.

"You really don’t want to take over Aris’ consciousness?" Rasmus asked one last question.

"No, I don’t," Aristoria answered without hesitation. "But I can’t speak for myself if you understand what I mean," she said as she looked at her hands. "I really have to go now, goodbye," she smiled and for one last time approached Rasmus and placed her hands on his cheeks. "Allow me to leave while I’m holding you for one last time..."

Rasmus watched Aristoria close her eyes and there was only silence for a few seconds until he felt Aris’ hands tremble on his cheeks. When Aris opened her eyes, both Rasmus and Rullein could see the faint fear in her eyes. Although she had taken back her body from Aristoria, she didn’t want to let go of Rasmus’ face.

"Welcome back," Rullein said with a soft smile, no teasing and no playful remarks.

Aris was still avoiding Rasmus’ gaze, but she finally decided to face his disappointment. When she saw his eyes, she felt like a lump went through her throat because she could see the invisible wall that formed in between them, or at least that was what she believed in. She then slowly pulled her hands away from him and took a few steps back.

"Don’t project what you see or feel onto me," Rasmus paused as he glanced at the corpse of the True Dragon. "That’s called guilt, it serves you nothing. Throw that away and you will see what you failed to see," he said as he walked past Aris to look at the corpse.

Aris furrowed her brows, not understanding what Rasmus meant, but somehow she felt relieved. Suddenly, Rullein grabbed Aris’ hand and pulled her to follow Rasmus. The three of them stared at the colossal being, a creature that was almost as big as a mountain.

"What are we going to do with this?" Rasmus asked with his arms crossed. "Any ideas?" He asked.

It was as Sanya had said that nothing could devour a True Dragon, not even Rullein, Videl, Serena, Aris or him. The risk was too great that they would end up being absorbed instead, and it was the first time Videl refused to devour it because he was nowhere near the level where he could devour something that was close to or even the same as a divine being.

"We can, take the scales. They’re the strongest material in this world. You can turn it into whatever you want it to be. Weapons, armors, or anything you desire because it can reshape to your will once it recognizes you as someone worthy," Aris answered as she clenched her fists.

"That’s impossible and you know it," Rullein said as she looked at Aris.

"No, it’s not impossible. I know a way to extract the scales but it’s dangerous," Aris answered with confidence, and then turned to look at Rasmus. "I can do it, but that’s if you trust me," she said quietly.

"You know the answer already," Rasmus responded and tilted his head slightly toward the True Dragon’s corpse.

Aris nodded and she immediately slid down into the crater and somehow, she didn’t realize she was smiling faintly.